A band is introduced into the pit entrance of a looping pit. This band is released from the looping pit at a pit exit. A segment of the band can thereby be buffered. The entrance-sided drag that exists in the band at the pit entrance is measured by an entrance-sided drag measuring device; the exit-sided drag that exists in the band at the pit exit is measured by an exit-sided drag measuring device. The values of the entrance-sided and exit-sided drags are passed to a control device. Depending on the entrance-sided and exit-sided drags, a control signal for at least one driven roller arranged between the pit entrance and exit is identified by the control device and is passed to the at least one driven roller. The band buffered in the looping pit is acted upon by the at least one driven roller according to the control signal.